Miami Heartbeat: Aymee Nuviola and The Faena Theater
The drumbeat of major cultural and social happenings in Miami continued in full force in January and February. The International Boat Show and The South Beach Food and Wine Festival drew enormous crowds- a very international audience. Trust me, the traffic was awful. Adrienne Arscht featured the Miami Ballet and visits from the Chicago and Cleveland Symphony Orchestras. The New World Symphony programming in Miami Beach is in full swing and the Miami Beach Bandshell featured a widely eclectic schedule of musical performers from the Caribbean and South America. The Montreux Jazz Festival is this weekend in Coconut Grove. Great fun and the lovely weather helps! We truly enjoy the diversity of programming although we understand “diversity” is no longer politically acceptable in Trump’s America. We will forge ahead. A great example is a wonderful concert by Aimee Nuviola at The Faena Theatre this week. Let’s spend a moment on our evening there.
The Faena Theatre in Miami Beach sponsors a six session Jazz Series from January through June- one designated performance a month. The February concert featured Cuban born singer- diva Aymee Nuviola. Amalia and I had previously seen her perform at the Arte de Cuba Festival at the Kennedy Center of the Performing Arts in Washington in 2018. She excelled there with a stirring opening nite performance so we jumped at the opportunity to see her again. She did not disappoint. A commanding virtuoso performance that energised the audience. She is world class and I strongly recommend you download her playlists or stations on your home audio app. We also had the opportunity to chat with her backstage post performance- another welcome byproduct of Amalia’s 7 year tenure as a Trustee at the Kennedy Center. Amalia had been personally instrumental in bringing the Cuban artists to DC and many of those relationships continue. The Kennedy Center was a great gig then. Alas, we shall see what the future holds!
Aimee has a powerful voice that instantly captures the crowd. She is very versatile and her music spans multiple genres- Latin Jazz, Cuban Salsa and Tropical Fusion. She has received multiple Grammy Award nominations and won a Latin Grammy Award for Best Tropical Fusion Album in 2019. The winning album was “A Journey Through Cuban Music.” She was born in Havana, attended elite musical education programs there and eventually moved to the United States. She is famous in the Cuban community for portraying the legendary Celia Cruz in the TV series “Celia.” She has “big" hair to accompany her big voice and she is a powerful symbol of the Afro-Cuban musical tradition. She is at the peak of her creative powers and is a regular performer at Carnegie Hall, The Lincoln Center and the Hollywood Bowl. Her performance at the Faena was mesmerising with high levels of audience participation and engagement. Her supporting orchestra- a pianist, keyboard player, guitarist and saxophonist were excellent. They were Colombians, Venezuelans and Cubans. She sang her classics- “Como Aniero Al Dedo,” “Bailando,” "Todo Se Olvida,” "La Negra Tiene Tomisao,” “El Raton,” and “Aqua.” She was so compelling. I have listened to her playlist on my Sonos Home System all day today.
My second “shout out” is to The Faena Theatre itself. Let’s “give it up” for the ambitious and visionary individuals who built the entire Faena District on Miami Beach. Alan Faena, Argentine real estate developer, Len Blavatnik an angel investor, Rem Koolhaus architect and producer Baz Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Morton who designed the interiors. The Faena Theatre became an instant cultural and architectural landmark when it opened in 2015. It is a dramatic and intimate space with a seat capacity of 150. It has Art Deco design lines, bold red velvet curtains. a spectacular chandelier and a deep ruby red palette with gold trim accents. We have now attended 4 performances there and my original reaction to the space was that it was “over the top” with Mar a Lago type gauche features. But, I have warmed up to it. It is ultra posh and plush, but it is comfortable and the sight lines to the stage are outstanding. The acoustics are exceptional and alone justify the venues reputation. You go for the music. The menu is limited and the wine and cocktails are wildly overpriced. Have dinner before the show.
If you plan on visiting Miami and Miami Beach, do some pre trip research and check out the Faena programming during your visit. If there is any artist in your wheelhouse, grab the opportunity to enjoy the concert in a great venue.
